Claiming back return postage cost from eBay

[charliee9818]

A buyer purchased one of my items without reading the item description which clearly stated that the item had some faults. They put in a return request with the reasoning as 'item arrived damaged' (I don't accept returns as a private seller) so I contacted eBay chat who advised I should accept the return as if the buyer is making a false claim (which they were), I would be protected by the eBay Seller Protection. 

The item came back to me at the start of October and since then I have been on about 5 - 6 chats with eBay agents who have told me so many different things and I have still not recieved the refund for the return postage I paid. It wouldn't allow me to take the amount away from the buyers refund despite them being in the wrong. 

I have followed all instructions that the eBay chat agents have advised and the last one said that my refund was going to be actioned manually but I still haven't recieved anything. 

I'm very annoyed and dissapointed to have been so mislead.

Has anyone ever experienced this or managed to get their return postage compensation from eBay? It seems to me that they just aren't interested and don't want to pay out. 

Thanks

Charlie

[papso22]

Have you formally reported the buyer for misuse of the money back guarantee?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=3&pos=1&que...

I don't think refunds of postage are done by speaking to an ebay rep. 

[charliee9818]

Hello,

Yes as this is what the chat agents asked me to do multiple times. I think it has been done twice as two agents told me two different reasonings to get the postage refund. The reasons they told me to submit were:

Buyer made a false claim > Falsely claimed the item wasn't as described

and 

Buyer misused returns > Returned an item after they opened, used or damaged it

[papso22]

Did you have the opportunity to put in the 'case' that the buyer got exactly what was listed and returned exactly what was listed, i.e this was clearly a remorse return and they used the MBG to get you to pay the return postage?

I don't think this is a clear case for a refund of the postage, e.g did you list the item as used or for parts/not working? 

[rjwilmsi]

I'm a business seller, not a private seller, so I'll explain how it works for business sellers, accepting that for you it may be different. When I'm completing a buyer's return I have the option to report the buyer: if I use that option for item not as described/damaged returns and give the reason as "disagree with return reason" then after completing the return and issuing the refund eBay shows a message along the lines of "eBay will review this case and consider applying a return postage label credit to your account". When I get my monthly invoice I then see that at least on some occasions eBay has given me a credit. However, they don't always do it. So perhaps there is some manual/random review where eBay decides whether they agree with you or not, or perhaps depending on your sales/returns volume you automatically get credited some number per month. They don't seem to publish the outcomes of those reviews.

It may be in your case that eBay has reviewed the case already and has decided that it wasn't a clear case of abuse of the returns process by the buyer, so you don't qualify for a return label credit. I'm not saying that's fair, but that may be what it is. If you've already tried several times to discuss this with eBay then it may not be worth your time to continue raising it with them. The eBay customer service representatives we get to speak to or chat with are normally offshore and don't seem to properly understand eBay rules, eBay processes etc. so sometimes if they don't know what to do, they will tell you what you want to hear in order to get you off the line, but they won't actually have resolved anything. It's a poor state of affairs, but sometimes that's how it is.

[charliee9818]

Yes, buyer was reported multiple times. 

I provided screenshots to eBay on multiple occasions of the original listing which had photos of the items' issues and the item description which also included details about the faults.

It was a pair of shoes, they were listed with 'used' condition. 

[athe3002]

I've had a similar experience with a buyer not making sure that what he was buying was actually compatible with other equipment he already had. And I had to refund and pay all the postage... and get back a used item when it was originally new.

I think eBay should add a few tick boxes at the checkout for buyers to fill in, stating that they have read and understood all of the item information, and that they accept responsibility if they proceed with the purchase in error, and accordingly wave their right to a refund.

THAT would be a first step towards proper seller protection, rather than just retoric and politness.

[charliee9818]

Thank you for taking the time to respond and explain. 

On both occasions when I reported the buyer, I got a similar message saying 'eBay will review etc etc'. As a private seller, I don't believe I get any type of monthly invoice.

Every time I go on live chat with the agents, we just go round in circles which is why I came to the forum as I'm not sure what else to do with it.

The most frustrating thing is that the first agent I spoke to told me to accept the return as I would be fully protected by the Seller Protection Policy but that's clearly not the case so next time, I just won't accept the return.

[charliee9818]

The worst part of this whole thing is that the buyer actually made ME an offer for the item but they clearly didn't read the description or look through the photos prior to doing this or paying for the item once I accepted the offer. 

It was a used pair of shoes which I can re-sell but as a private seller who just does this as a hobby, I've now lost out on a postage cost. 

Yes I agree. Although every other time I've used the eBay chat, the agents have always been spot on and really helpful hence why I believed them this time but at least I've learnt my lesson that there aren't really any 'Seller Protections.'

[9150simon]

Hi charliee9818 returns are one of unpleasant parts of selling on any site and over the years buyers have got wise to the fact that if they claim "item not as described or damaged", they don't have to pay for the return postage.  Is it frustrating and annoying but it isn't worth the angst if you want to continue selling.

Over the past few months I feel like as the sales are so low, it is 2 steps forward and 1 step back all the time.  In the past week or so I have had 2 returns where I have had to pay the postage for "item not as described" when in both cases they clearly did - but just buyer remorse or doesn't fit / suit or whatever.

So annoying but really not worth worrying about.  Just get your shoes back and resell them and don't forget to block the buyer.

[1956glyn]

Hi

If a buyer opens a case for not as described then you really must accept the return.   

If you refuse it then chances are that Ebay will just step in and refund your buyer and often they do this and tell the buyer that they do not even have to return the item to you 😞    Also if Ebay step in then they will also give you a very damaging defect on your account.

Private sellers basically can only refuse to accept "change of mind" purchases.

[charliee9818]

Hello. Just the most infruating thing is that every eBay chat agent I've spoken to has actually stated that I will be refunded which is obviously a lie. If I'm not entitled to the refund, they shouldn't have said it in the first place.

The most recent agent even said that they could see how many times I've contacted them regarding this issue and will get a manual refund sent through however nothing has been received yet again. 

Yes, my sales have been very slow as well. This was a clear case of the buyer not reading the item description and just changing their mind. 

The buyer was reported and blocked immediately. 

[charliee9818]

Hello, 

In this case, I shouldn't have accepted it as it's a clear case of the buyer not reading the item description/looking at the listing photos and just changing their mind once they received the item. 

I believe eBay would have sided with me had I not accepted the return as I can prove that the original listing contained all information regarding the issues the item had. The buyer still chose to purchase it.

[douglaspuglas]

---

@charliee9818 wrote:

Hello, 

In this case, I shouldn't have accepted it as it's a clear case of the buyer not reading the item description/looking at the listing photos and just changing their mind once they received the item. 

I believe eBay would have sided with me had I not accepted the return as I can prove that the original listing contained all information regarding the issues the item had. The buyer still chose to purchase it.

---

Sorry but eBay wouldn't have sided with you.

The buyer chose "arrived damaged" as the reason for the return.

Returns are automated.

If you hadn't accepted the return the buyer could have asked eBay to step in after 3 business days.

EBay bots would have refunded them and told them to keep your shoes.

[4_bathrooms]

---

@charliee9818 wrote:

In this case, I shouldn't have accepted it as it's a clear case of the buyer not reading the item description/looking at the listing photos and just changing their mind once they received the item. 

---

If a buyer opens an "Item Not as Described" case it is automatically accepted; sellers have no choice in the matter. You mention you reported the buyer "multiple times" but you would have only been able to do so once if you had done so via the case - this means clicking the "Report a problem" link that would have appeared at the bottom of the case itself as per the post by @rjwilmsi earlier. As far as I am aware this is the only way an eBay seller (private or business) can obtain a refund/credit for return postage when a buyer is abusing their MBG protection.

The only returns a private seller can decline are remorse returns if the seller has specified they "don't accept returns". All sellers accept INAD returns due to the Money Back Guarantee afforded to buyers.  

[robbie_001]

I was told that a case for a manual refund on an item would be put forward and reviewed within 7-10 days. That was 43 days ago. Today (and I've also had around 6 chats previously) I've been told that I'll only be updated IF the refund is approved, so I'm afraid your experience sounds about right!

[bits_n_bobs_heaven]

---

@papso22 wrote:

Have you formally reported the buyer for misuse of the money back guarantee?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=3&pos=1&que...

I don't think refunds of postage are done by speaking to an ebay rep. 

---

Spot on papso! 😉

[mrs-trebus16]

I too was a bit miffed when my listing clearly stated sizes and measurements of a jacket I sold and they returned it as 'Didn't fit'

I had the privilege of paying his postage cost

For the sake of £3.50, just move on and forget it this time - life's too short

[charliee9818]

Well that would be for eBay to decide and to be honest, it doesn't actually matter as that's not what this thread is for, was just my opinion. 

I was just curious as to whether anyone has had a similar experience and if it was resolved. 

Thanks for your response though.

[charliee9818]

The buyer was reported multiple times as when speaking to the chat agents of how to handle it, they said to report them under two different reasonings. As mentioned in this thread previously, the reasonings were:

Buyer made a false claim > Falsely claimed the item wasn't as described

and 

Buyer misused returns > Returned an item after they opened, used or damaged it

As a private seller, I have stated on my account that I don't accept returns (unless faulty) but this was a clear case of the buyer not reading the item description or looking at the listing photos prior to sending me an offer.

Despite this, the eBay chat agents still recommend I accepted the return as I would be covered for the return postage but it's obviously not as clear cut as that. 

Thanks for taking the time to respond though.